Tool for repairing muffler assemblies



July 17, 1962 N. BROWN TOOL FOR REPAIRING MUFFLER ASSEMBLIES IN MEAN-omLOWELL N BROW BY -/I5 ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 13, 1961 July17, 1962 N. BROWN 3,044,169

TOOL FOR REPAIRING MUFFLER ASSEMBLIES Filed Feb. 13, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet2 7, f 4%?16. g 2a I? r M 36 38 I 58 W I //v vEA/ToR': LOWELL n/- BRO M14 6 HTTOR am ss Patented July 17, 1962 fire 3,ti44,169 TOOL FORREPARING MUFFLER ASSEMBLIES Lowell N. Brown, ()verland, Mo. (9 2-22Trenton Ave, St. Louis 14, M0.) Filed Feb. 13, 196i, Ser. No. 88,787 1Claim. (Cl. 30-91) The general object of the present invention is toprovide a tool for use particularly in repairing mufiler assemblies ofautomotive vehicles. Specifically, the present invention contemplates asingle tool for attaining the objectives set forth in my co-pendingapplication, Serial No. 844,376, filed October 5, 1959.

In the application aforesaid, three separate tools are disclosedwherewith the repair of automotive vehicle mufller assemblies may befacilitated and expedited, said tools being mechanically operable inconsequence of their operative connection to a pneumatic hammer of thegun type as set forth.

The tool of the present invention is constructed in such fashion, thatit is adapted to be employed per se in the attainment of the end resultsascribed to the three tools disclosed in my said pending application.

A muffler assembly as contemplated herein includes a mufller proper, anexhaust pipe leading from the vehicle engine to the inlet end of themuffler, and a tail pipe leading from the outlet end of said mufiler toatmosphere.

Commonly, such assemblies are suspended immediately below the vehiclechassis by means of appropriate muffler clamps and pipe hangers orbrackets. Oustomarily as is well known, these muffler assemblies arerepaired by mechanics from below, with th vehicle usually disposed on ahydraulic lift over a pit. Working overhead with chisel and hammer,mechanics encounter great difficulty particularly when the mufiierinstallation is so to speak in a crowded location. In other words, notonly must they find space for the chisel, but also for the hand thatholds the chisel. Furthermore, not only must they find space for thehammer itself, but also additional space wherein to swing the hammer inattempting to direct efiective blows against the chisel. Obviously,under conditions such as these, injuries to one or both hands of amechanic frequently result. Seldom also, is it possible to remove onecomponent of the assembly without at least to some extent damaging thecomponent thereto adjacent. Usually, when chisel and hammer operationsprove ineffective, an acetylene torch will be employed to sever thecomponents.

In addition to the hazards involved, the repair of muffler assemblies inaccordance with current practices comprise tedious and time-consumingundertakings, so that although it would seem that such operations arecomparatively simple, the time required to perform them heretofore hasbeen excessive.

A solution to this problem has been presented in the pending applicationaforesaid, wherein there is disclosed a set of three novel tools thatare mechanically operable, and adapted to overcome the disadvantagesreferred to above.

The primary object of the present invention is to pro vide a single toolfor accomplishing the same results attainable by use of the set of threetools illustrated and described in my said prior application. To thisend, the present invention provides a tool that may optionally beemployed as a cutofi chisel, an external cutter, or an internal cutter,depending on the particular mufller repair contemplated.

The tool of the invention likewise includes means whereby it may beoperatively connected to a conventional pneumatic hammer, as willappear. When so connected, the tool may be directed toward portions ofthe muflier assembly by the mechanic holding the pneumatic hammer in onehand, so that as should be understood, the personal injury factor wouldthus be eliminated. Furthermore, the rapidity with which the pneumatichammer would deliver its blows as compared with manually delivered blowsbeggars descriptiomso that as should be manifest, the time factorinvolved in the muflier assembly repair will be greatly reduced.

By means of the present invention, muflier assembly repairs may be madequickly and without danger of personal injury to the mechanic. Thepresent tool is so designed that removal of one defective component of amufiler assembly may be effected without more than negligible damage toan adjacent component that is to be salvaged.

The novel tool of this invention and its uses are illustrated on twosheets of drawings that accompany this specification, and acomprehensive understanding of the features and advantages thereof willbe apparent from the detailed description to follow with reference tosaid drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is what will be termed a top plan view of the tool comprisingthe present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse section, on an enlarged scale, taken on theline 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a similar view taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view; on an enlarged scale, taken onthe line 66 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 7 is an exploded side elevational view of a typical pneumatichammer and a complemental holder FIGURE 8 is a side elevational viewillustrating the w front end portion of the barrel member of the hammer,with the shank of the instant tool operatively connected thereto bymeans of said holder spring, the latter being shown in section;

FIGURE 9 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevational view of anexemplary standard automobile muffler assembly including a muffierproper, an exhaust pipe leading from the engine to the intake end of themuffler, and a tail pipe leading from the outlet end of said mufller toatmosphere, the mufiler clamps and the tail pipe hanger bracket servingto suspend the assembly from the chassis being suggested in brokenlines;

FIGURE 10 is a somewhat, diagrammatic side elevational of anotherexemplary standard automobile mufller assembly including a mufilerproper, an exhaust pipe leading from the engine to the intake end of themuffler, and a tail pipe leading from the outlet end of said mufller toatmosphere, the mufiier clamps and the tail pipe hanger bracket servingto suspend the assembly from the chassis I being suggested in brokenlines;

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged reproduction, partly in section, of the outletend portion of the muflier shown in FIGURE 9 and a fragmentary portionof the tail pipe leading therefrom, with the tool of the presentinvention illustrated as being applied to said tail pipe;

FIGURE 12 is a transverse section taken on the line l212 of FIGURE 11; v7

FIGURE 13 is a view generally similar to FIGURE 11, illustrating thetool of the present invention applied to a segment of the tail pipe atthe beginning of an internal cutting operation;

FIGURE 14 is a view similar to FIGURE 13 illustrating the completion ofsaid internal cut-ting operation;

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged reproduction, partly in section, of the outletend portion of the muffler shown in FIGURE 9 and a fragmentary portionof the tail pipe leading therefrom, with the tool of the presentinvention being illustrated as applied to the tubular outlet extensionof said mufiier; 1 1

FIGURE 16 is a sectional view illustrating the initial position of theinstant tool in the operation of severing said muifier extension fromthe end portion of the tail pipe that extends thereinto;

FIGURE 17 is a view similar to FIGURE 16 illustrating an advancedposition of the tool during the severing operation; V a I FIGURE 18 is asectional view illustrating the completion of the severing operationaforesaid;

FIGURE 1-9 is a View similar to FIGURE with the tool of this inventionshown applied to the tail pipe of the FIGURE 10 muffier assembly; a

FIGURE 20 is a view similar to FIGURE 19', this view illustrating thetool of my invention in position for initiating the operation ofremoving the severed tail pipe segment from the tubular extension of themuffler;

FIGURE 21 is a view similar to FIGURE 19 withthe instant tool shownapplied to the mufier outlet extension; and

FIGURE 22 is a view illustrating the initial disposition of the instanttool at the beginning of the operation for removing said severed muffleroutlet extension segment from the tail pipe.

With attention directedparticularly to FIGURES 1 through 6, the novelconfiguration of the tool designed to attain the primary objectives ofthis invention will now be described. Designated as a whole by thenumeral 26, the tool includes a cylindrical main body portion 28 thatmerges at one eud'into an annularflange 30 of increased diameter, and atthe opposite end into a chisel portion generally designated. 32. Numeral34 designates the cylindrical shank of the tool, one end of said shankmerging into the flange 30, the opposite end thereof being free asshown. 1

"Ihe chisel portion 32 includes a thin blade section 36 that terminates,at what will be termed its forward or leading end, in a sharp pointedextremity 38. Extending angularly rearwardly and formed in said leadingend portion of the blade section 36 is a sharp cutting edge 40. Theleading end of the blade section 36 has further 'formed integrallytherewith along one side thereof, an angularly projecting fin segment 42that is provided with a sharp cutting edge 44 at its leading end, saidcutting edge extending rearwardly and downwardly from the forwardextremity 46 of said fin segment. 7 7

As seen to best advantage in FIGURE 1, the cuttingedges and 44 convergeas at '47, whereby toform a V-shaped cutter formation extending from thesharp pointed extremity 38 of the blade section 36, to the forwardextremity 46 of the fin segment 42. With respect to said pointedextremities, it will be observed that the extremity 46 is disposed adetermined distance rearwardly of the extremity 38.

As hereinbefore noted, the tool 26 isde'signed to be power driven bymeans of a pneumatically operable hammer ofthe gun type. An exemplaryhammer for the purpose appears in FIGURE 7, and is designated as a wholeby the reference character H. It includes: ahandle a depending trorn .acylindrical section b; a flexible line c leading to the hammer from asource of compressed air; a manually operable air pressure controldevice d; and a barrel 'e projecting from the cylindrical section b. Anappropriate-mechanism for automatically reciprocating a piston in thebarrel e responsive to manipulations of the control device at is locatedpartially in said barrel and partially in the cylindrical section b.However, it is not deemed necessary to illustrate and describe thispiston reciprocating mechanism, nor the air passageways associatedtherewith. Reference may be had if desired, to United States. LettersPatent No. 2 ,655,- 901 issued to me on October 20, 1953, for acomprehensive disclosure of the means for 'eifecting reciprocal pistonmovements in the illustrated pneumatic hammer.

It will be understood of course that the pneumatic hammer H and itsoperating mechanisms form per so no part of the present invention, andthat no claim is made herein to this particular hammer. In other words,although the invention contemplates a power-operated tool, otherconventional pneumatic hammers than that illustrated may be employed toattain the objectives thereof.

The free end portion 1 of the barrel e has formed externally therein aplurality of annular grooves g. These grooves serve, with the aid of asuitable holder spring, to operatively connect the shank 34 of the toolto said barrel in position to receive intermittent blows directedtherea-gainst by the reciprocating piston of the hammer H.

An exemplary holder spring is shown in FIGURE 7 and designated h. Bymeans of the spring h, or aholder spring of similar nature, the tool 26would be operatively connected to the penumatic hammer in a wellunderstood manner as illustrated in FIGURE 8. There it will be observedthat the smaller coils of the holder spring encompass the flange 30 andthe contiguous region of the tool main body portion 28, the larger coilsof said spring are in engagement with the grooves g, and the free end ofthe shank 34 projects into the barrel e of the hammer. With the tool 26connected to the hammer in such fashion, it should be apparent that amechanic, holding the hammer in one hand, may point the tool in anydirection. Furthermore, the mechanic can manipulate the hammer to bringthe leading end of the blade section 36 into so to speak,difficult-to-reach areas.

As hereinbefore observed, there are two types of muffler assemblies ingeneral use, and these are somewhat diagrammatically illustrated inFIGURES 9 and 10, the

'mufiler proper being designated M.

In the assembly appearing in FIGURE 9, the muffler M is provided on bothends with a hollow boss or tubular extension wherein the adjacent endportion of the therewith associated exhaust and tail pipes respectivelyare mounted and terminate. Thus, the end portion of the exhaust pipe n,leading from the engine, extends into and terminates within the inletextension 0 of the muflier, and the end portion of the tail pipe pextends into and terminates within the outlet extension r of saidmuffler.

In the FIGURE 10 assembly, the mufiier M is provided on both ends with ahollow boss or tubular extension whereon the adjacent end portions ofthe therewith associated exhaust and tail pipes respectively are mountedand terminate. Thus, the end portion of the exhaust pipe s, leading fromthe engine, is mounted and terminates on the inlet extension t of themuffler, and the end portion of the tail pipe u is mounted andterminates on the outlet extension v of the muffler M, as illustrated.

Use

Although it is believed that the manner wherein the tool 26 would beemployed should be apparent from an inspection of FIGURES 11 through 22,a brief explanation will be given.

Thus, it will first be. assumed that the tail pipe p of the FIGURE 9assembly had become defective for any of various reasons, and thatreplacement thereof with a new tail pipe were contemplated withoutinjury to the muffler M. With the tool 26 operatively connected to thehammer H as in FIGURE 8, the mechanic would first direct the point 38 ofthe blade section 36 against the approximate center of the tail pipe (assuggested by broken lines in FIGURE 12), a short distance beyond themuliler outlet extension r (as shown in FIGURE 11). Thereupon, bydirecting the cutting edge 40 rightwardly upwardly and manipulating thecontrol device (I, the mechanic would sever the right hand half section(as viewed in FIGURE 12) of the tail pipe p. Thereupon, a similaroperation would be repeated with respect to the left hand half sectionof the pipe by directing the V-shaped cutter formation 47 leftwardlyupwardly and manipulating the control device d, thus effecting theseverance of the segment w from the balance of said tail pipe p whichwould now be discarded. Next, the mechanic would enter the point 38 ofthe tool between the contiguous surfaces of the segment w and the outletextension r at the free edge of the latter, as illustrated in FIG- URE13. Thereupon, while manipulating the control device d, he would advancethe tool 26 leftwardly from the FIGURE 13 to the FIGURE 14 positionthereof. In consequence of this operation, the segment w would be slitlongitudinally from end to end, the severance being effected by theconvergence 47 of the cutting edges 40 and 44, and the sheared metalbeing deflected inwardly away from the wall of the outlet extension r bythe fin 42. With the segment w thus slit and its original circular wallthus deformed as suggested in FIGURE 14, withdrawal of the tool 26 andremoval of said segment from the extension r can be quicklyaccomplished, followed by the installation of a new tail pipe, as shouldbe manifest.

Assuming now that the exhaust pipe n of the FIGURE 9 assembly had becomedefective, and it were desirable to replace it while at the same timesalvaging the mufiler M and the tail pipe p, the same operationsdescribed above would be undertaken at the inlet end of said muffleradjacent the inlet extension 0, as will be understood.

It will next be assumed that the mufiier M of the FIGURE 9 assembly hadbecome defective, and that replacement thereof were desirable withoutdamage to the exhaust pipe n or the tail pipe p. Accordingly, theextensions 0 and r would be severed from the body of the mufiler M inthe same manner as described with respect to the tail pipe. Theoperation with respect to the extension r is demonstrated in FIGURE 15,it being understood that the extension 0 would be treated in likefashion.

After severance of the extensions 0 and r had been completed, themufller M would be discarded. Thereupon, the cut off segment of theextension r that remained on the end of the tail pipe p would be removedtherefrom. Thus, the mechanic would first direct the tool 26 as shown inFIGURE 16, and thereupon, while manipulating the control device a,advance said tool rightwardly as viewed in FIGURES 17 and 18. Inconsequence of these operations as should be understood Without furtherexplanation, the segment r would be slit longitudinally from end to end,thus facilitating the removal thereof from the tail pipe. The operationsdemonstrated in FIGURES 16 through 18 would of course be performed in areversed direction with respect to the cut off segment of the extension0.

In light of the foregoing description and particularly in view of thedrawings, it is believed that a comprehensive understanding will be hadof the manner wherein the power driven tool 26 may be employed withrespect to the type of mufiler assemblies exemplified in FIG- URE 9.

With respect to a muffler assembly of the type illustrated in FIGURE 10,it will be first assumed that the tail pipe u thereof had becomedefective and should be replaced, while at the same time it weredesirable to salvage the mufiler M and the exhaust pipe s.

The manner wherein such an operation would be accomplished isdemonstrated in FIGURES 19 and 20.

It is believed that in contemplation of the explanations hereinbeforepresented and from an inspection of these views, it should be manifesthow the segment x, after having been severed from the tail pipe u, maybe quickly removed from the mufller outlet extension v by means of thenovel tool of this invention. Furthermore, it should likewise bemanifest that a defective exhaust pipe s would similarly be treated atthe muffler intake extension t.

Assuming now with respect to an assembly of the type illustrated inFIGURE 10, that the mufiler M thereof had become defective and should bereplaced, the operations illustrated in FIGURES 21 and 22 relatively tothe outlet extension v and tail pipe u are believed adequate for acomplete understanding of the manner wherein this would be accomplished.It will of course be understood that similar operations are performed atthe opposite end of the mufiier M with respect to the inlet extension tand exhaust pipe s. v

From the foregoing description and accompanying drawings, it should beapparent that the novel tool of the present invention attains itsobjectives in a highly efficient manner. Because it is adapted foroperative connection to a pneumatic hammer, the various severing andslitting operations require but a small fraction of the time ordinarilyspent in performing them manually with for example, a chisel and ahammer. Furthermore, these operations may be performed by a mechanicwithout danger of personal injury, inasmuch as it is only necessary forhim to use one hand, and that hand is remote from the work-performingend of the tool.

What I claim is:

In a pneumatic hammer operated tool for eflecting severing and slittingoperations of the character described in repairing mufiier assemblies ofautomotive vehicles: a cylindrical main body portion merging at one endinto a chisel portion; said chisel portion comprising:

a thin blade section;

a sharp point constituting the forward extremity of the blade section;

a first sharp cutting edge extending from said point angularlyrearwardly in the blade section;

a fin segment projecting angularly upwardly from one side of the bladesection, the forward extremity of the fin segment being disposedrearwardly of the aforesaid extremity of the blade section;

and a second sharp cutting edge extending rearwardly downwardly fromsaid forward extremity of the fin segment, the convergence of said firstand second cutting edges forming a V-shaped cutter formation extendingfrom the sharp point extremity of the blade section to the forwardextremity of said fin segment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSVonhoti et a1. Nov. 22, 1960

